Discovering the Heart
by Mrs.InsaneOne
Summary: They discovered their Future when they opened what they thought was a simple book. Then they learned the terrible Truth of betrayal at the hands of a so called friend. Come journey through the continuing saga of James, Lily, Sirius, Jenn, Remus, and Lori as they 'Discover the Heart', Part 3 in my Discovering Series.
1. A small Leap Back in Time

**Disclaimer: **_ALL HP characters are the property of JKR, the WB, and the respective publishing companies. I do own Jenn Parksen, Lori Wilson, and Monica Sinclair as well this twisted version of the plot. This is, of course, a simple Fan-Fiction that I have written in order to retain some semblance of sanity and dignity._

**Summary:** _They discovered their Future when they opened what they thought was a simple book. Then they learned the terrible Truth of betrayal at the hands of a so called friend. What is left for them to discover? The Heart of course – for it is in the heart that Hope, Love, Strength, and Redemption are born. Come journey through the continuing saga of James, Lily, Sirius, Jenn, Remus, and Lori as they 'Discover the Heart', Part 3 in my Discovering Series._

___A MWPP era fanfic by Mrs. Insane One..._

**AN1:** _This story is a continuation of Discovering the Future and Discovering the Truth; if you have not already read 'Future' & 'Truth', I'd advise you to go do so before beginning this story as otherwise this story will not make a whole lot of sense otherwise. _

_As with the posting of the previous two books in the series on this site, I have edited and revised a good portion of this entire story – in order to fix many of my rampant mistakes that I made the first time I wrote it (though I am certain that I've missed a few of those same mistakes). I have also been adding in a few new scenes and rewording others as well as adding a more in-depth summary at the beginning. _

_I hope you enjoy reading this story (as much as you enjoyed it the first time for those of you who have read one or both of the original versions on other sites). Thank you, and enjoy the story! – Jenn_

_**AN2:** __This story is self-beta'd; so there may be occasional grammatical or spelling errors that crop up every now and then and for those I apologize in advance._

* * *

**Discovering the Heart  
Revised Alternate Version for Re-posting**

Chapter 1: A small Leap Back in Time

Alastor Moody sat silently as he guarded Peter Pettigrew in the dim light of the Hospital Wing. It was just after midnight and Moody had been awoken by a vague sense of uneasiness. Kingsley had just left moments ago to roam the hallways in an effort to insure that no further harm befell the students of Hogwarts.

Shifting uneasily Moody let his magical eye search every crack and cranny both inside and outside of the hospital. He could find no trace of anything that would warrant the sense of impending doom. Shoving himself to his feet he paced back and forth in front of the bed where Pettigrew lay under the influence of a potent sleeping draught.

Moody let his thoughts slip back to the interrogation that had taken place earlier that afternoon in the presence of the Headmaster.

"_Wake him," Dumbledore had instructed the moment he stepped into the Hospital Ward. _

_Moody nodded and pointed his wand at Peter and murmured "Rennervate." And watched as the boy struggled to rise himself before slumping back onto the bed helplessly. _

_Moody had then given the boy three more drops of the truth serum before propping the boy up on the bed so he could see all of those who had gathered around his bed. Madam Pomfrey set up several screens and then left the room so that Pettigrew could be questioned. _

_At that point Dumbledore had stepped forward and commanded Peter to answer his questions. Peter had nodded once and Dumbledore began the interrogation. _

"_How long have you been in contact with Voldemort?"_

_Peter flinched at the name but answered the question without hesitation, "Since the end of last year."_

"_Who have you been giving the information to?"_

"_Zebulon Avery, he promised I would be powerful." _

"_Have you ever given information directly to Voldemort?"_

"_Yes," Peter replied although he flinched at the sound of the Dark Lords name again._

"_What information did you give him?"_

"_The book. He wanted to know of the book."_

_Dumbledore had paused at hearing of the book once more. Frowning he searched his memory and tried to recall where he had first heard of the book. As it dawned on him he looked sharply at Peter before continuing with the questioning. _

"_What do you know of the book?"_

"_Lily Evans found the book. It told of the future, of death and destruction, of the downfall of the Dark Lord. The Dark Lord demanded that the book be brought to him so that he could discover the means of his downfall. The Dark Lord will kill for the book."_

"_What book Peter?"_

"_Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone."_

"_Tell me what you know of Petunia Evan's death," Dumbledore commanded. _

"_When the Dark Lord was thwarted by Potter and his friends after capturing Lily Evans, he demanded information about the Evans girl. He had thought that the death of her parents would frighten the girl into giving up the book, but he was wrong. The Dark Lord was greatly angered and swore that the girl would pay. I took him to the Evan's house and we waited there for the girl. She tried to fight, but in the end she fell under the Death Eater's wands and the Dark Lord made her suffer as he told her of how her parents died. She called him a liar and the Dark Lord showed her a vision of Lily and her parents," Peter explained as his eyes glazed over with terror at the memory. "Lily's sister died with the knowledge that Lily was to blame for everything. Voldemort then left a note for Lily on the wall."_

_Professor McGonagall and placed a hand shakily over her eyes as she listened to the horror that Petunia had suffered at the hands of Voldemort. Moody glared out of his normal eye, while his magical one whirled round and round as he surveyed the hallway near the hospital incase a student should pass by. _

"_What happened next, Pettigrew?"_

"_When that failed to force Lily into bringing the book, he punished me. It was my fault that she would not do as she was told. He commanded me to fetch another. He told me to bring him the one who told me of the book. So I took Monica out into the forest where the Death Eaters waited for her with the Dark Lord. She never suspected that she walked into a trap. I was supposed to lure the others out and then escape from the castle. Something went wrong though and the Dark Lord used his magic to show Lily what was to become of her friend."_

_Dumbledore sank into a nearby chair as he listened to how Monica was tricked into going out into the forest. He could not believe how closely involved Peter had been in all of the plans to kill or destroy Lily Evans and James Potter. The treachery went far beyond what he had ever expected. _

_As Peter continued, he described how he'd given the Gryffindor password to those who helped search for the book. When he began telling of how he had chewed off his own tail to escape the trap, Kingsley turned away and was noisily sick. Moody looked as if he too would be sick, but managed to choke back the bile that had risen into his mouth. _

_Before Peter could go further, Dumbledore had ordered him to stop. Nothing further was needed. Turning from the still grinning boy Dumbledore left the room without speaking from the others. McGonagall had walked weakly over to the Healers office and asked for a strong sleeping potion that she gave to Moody to administer to the boy before she followed after Dumbledore so that she could make sure he was alright. Kingsley sat weakly in the chair that Dumbledore had left and sat shaking as he washed his mouth out with a bit of water._

Moody was pulled from his contemplation of the past by a piercing scream that echoed through the Hospital Ward. Jerking his head around he stepped back in shock as a blood red light dripped from the ceiling above and fell onto Peter where he lay in the bed.

The moment the light touched him Peter screamed out for a second time, writhing in agony with each drop of the red light. Moody thrust his arm up in front of his face as the light suddenly began pouring from the ceiling in a steady roar – the heat intense – though no fire burned. Then, as suddenly as the light had appeared it stopped.

Moody lowered his arm and gazed in horror upon what remained of Peter Pettigrew.

The bed smoked slightly as a faint residue of red light pulsed about the blackened form of Pettigrew. The echoes of his screams continued to ring throughout the hospital, even as Madam Pomfrey crashed out of her office and stumbled to a stop beside Moody; a look of pure terror on her face.

As he watched a final drop of red light fell from the ceiling and caused Moody to look up with his magical eye. What he saw there, or rather what he didn't see there chilled him to the bone. Turning from the body of the dead boy Moody rushed from the Hospital Wing and up the stair to the room where the six students had been placed for their protection.

* * *

Kingsley was leaning slightly back against the wall half dozing as he stood hidden under an invisibility cloak. After leaving Moody earlier, he had taken up a protective position outside the sanctuary that had been created to guard those inside from further harm. Just passed midnight Kingsley stirred when he heard voices from inside the room. Pushing himself away from the wall he listened for several minutes before he relaxed. So long as they didn't try to leave the room, it didn't matter what they did.

Kingsley was just settling back against the wall when the sounds from inside the room were cut off abruptly. Puzzled he turned towards the door to better hear what was going on when he heard a roaring sound rise from out of the room. He was reaching out to open the door when the whole wall suddenly grew hot and then cold to the touch. Frowning he grabbed the handle with his left hand and reached for his wand with his right.

At the same moment an explosion sounded from inside the room and as the sound poured forth into the hallway the entire fifth floor seemed to fall out from under Kingsley. He was thrown heavily against the far wall as the floor rushed back up only to shift violently first to the left and then back to the right again before it stopped completely.

As the dust settled around him he heard screaming from inside the room and climbing to his feet he tried once more to get inside. This time the door seemed to be locked from the inside. Using his wand he tried several charms but none of them seemed to work. Frustrated at his failure he began banging on the door and calling out loudly for those inside to open up. When that didn't work he backed up a few steps and began ramming the door with his shoulder in an effort to break inside and protect the students.

* * *

Dumbledore walked up the stairs in a thoughtful silence. He had been unable to sleep, his mind full of the words that Pettigrew had spoken hours ago during the interrogation. What disturbed the Headmaster most was the look of greed and pleasure that had at times in the boy's eyes as he spoke of the terrible things that had befallen those unfortunate souls. Knowing that the boy had been willing to give himself to Voldemort that in his thirst for power he had been willing to sacrifice anyone and anything, even his friends, was a bitter pill to swallow for the old wizard who wished to see only the good in his students.

Dumbledore was only a single flight of stairs away from the fifth floor where those he intended to check on were housed. He was just stepping onto the final flight of stairs when an explosion echoed around him. He felt himself falling backwards as the floor beneath him began to pitch and rock but saved himself by throwing out a hand to clasp the banister beside him. For a terrible heartbeat Dumbledore feared that Voldemort had attacked the castle when the jolting suddenly stopped and only the echoes remained behind.

Startled Dumbledore stood frozen until he heard screams ringing out from somewhere above him. Panic seared his heart as he began taking the stairs two at a time in an effort to reach those whose voices cried out in such pain. Stumbling slightly as he reached the top, he could hear the footsteps of another racing up the stairs behind him as he lurched towards the old unused classroom where the students were being held for their protection.

Turning left he hurried along the corridor as he moved closer to the classroom he heard the sounds of someone banging loudly on a door and calling out to the students. Behind him Moody charged down the hall to join him and together they pulled out their wands to face whoever was trying to force their way into the room beyond. To their surprise they found Kingsley trying to break the door down as an eerie silence cut off all sound from within the room. Kingsley's face was drawn as he turned their way and they could see a trickle of blood by his temple. Rushing forward they joined him in their efforts to get inside the room.

Once, twice they bashed into the door with their shoulders. Suddenly, as though a lock had been sprung from the other side, the door burst open with a crash. Together they stepped into the room with their wands raised high as they searched for the enemy they felt sure was within.

* * *

**AN:** _It's taken me a lot longer to get this story posted than I originally intended but it has not been easy editing and revising this trilogy; especially when I stumble across plot holes big enough to lose an entire city in. Updates will be slow as I've not yet finished editing/revising the entire story but I figured it was time to start putting up the bits I do have finished. _

_The next update I post will be on WWYR2, followed by Banished Destiny, and an Omake for WWYR1 before I post the second chapter of this story. ~ Jenn_


	2. Moving Forward

**Disclaimer: **_ALL HP characters are the property of JKR, the WB, and the respective publishing companies. I do own Jenn Parksen, Lori Wilson, and Monica Sinclair as well this twisted version of the plot. This is, of course, a simple Fan-Fiction that I have written in order to retain some semblance of sanity and dignity._

* * *

**Chapter 2: Moving Forward**

To their surprise they found only the students scattered about the room, looking as if they had just fought a terrible battle. Moody stepped inside first and used his magical eye to scour the room for any trace of the attacker and to his surprise he found nothing hidden anywhere in the four rooms. Kingsley remained at the door while Dumbledore and Moody stepped further into the room and approached Lily where she lay crumpled on the floor. Turning her over carefully, they checked to be sure she was alright before moving onto the next student; checking on Lori, Jenn, and then James, where he sat as if frozen holding Sirius's head in his lap.

James pleaded up at Dumbledore with his eyes, unable to trust his voice enough to voice his fears aloud. Wordlessly Dumbledore knelt down and checked Sirius over quickly. What he found caused him to frown deeply as his eyes caught Moody's and they shared a brief look. Silently Dumbledore climbed to his feet and rested a hand gently on James's shoulder.

"They are all fine, Mr. Potter, all of them simply stunned except for Miss Evans who appears to have passed out."

James sagged back and closed his eyes in relief as his fears slid away. Moody set about reviving the three stunned students while Dumbledore left James and went to check on Remus where he sat curled up into himself near the fireplace. A few minutes more and all six students were seated once more in the chairs before the fireplace with Dumbledore and Moody standing silently in front of them. Dumbledore had asked them several times what had happened but none of them were able, or willing, to speak of it. Finally, he sighed in soft frustration and began telling them instead of the knowledge that had been gleaned from Pettigrew only hours earlier.

"It seems that he has been responsible for a number of events that have taken place within the castle this year," Dumbledore started. "He has confessed to serving Voldemort while under the influence of a truth serum." Dumbledore paused in surprise when that news didn't draw the protests he'd expected from the six students before him. "I take it you knew of his dealings with the dark wizard?"

"No" Jenn whispered softly from where she sat "but we had begun to suspect that he might have turned."

"Of course, you three would have been closest to him," Dumbledore acknowledged as he nodded to the remaining Marauders. "You should be relieved to know that he is in custody now, down in the Hospital Ward -"

Here Dumbledore was interrupted by Moody gruffly announcing, "Actually, Albus, the boy is dead."

Seven pairs of eyes turned to Moody in astonishment at this announcement. Moody met each set of eyes in turn, before turning to address the Headmaster. "I don't know how it happened, I only know that magic poured from above and when the light faded Pettigrew was dead."

Dumbledore turned from the students then and strode from the room with Moody on his heels. The door closed firmly behind them and silence descended upon the six left in the room. No one spoke for several minutes, each one of the six lost in their own thoughts and fears. Finally James cleared his throat and broke the silence with a broken whisper.

"It looked as if… as though… I thought… you were dead, Padfoot."

Sirius met James's eyes with his own, and Sirius saw reflected in them his own fears regarding what had happened. Turning from James, Sirius caught Remus staring at him as well and saw the same fears reflected within his eyes as well.

"What happened?" Sirius asked, his voice sounding loud after the silence and James's whisper of a few moments ago. Nervously all six shifted and exchanged worried glances among themselves. Jenn's eyes were the only ones devoid of any emotion; she seemed lost in thought as the others simply shook their heads and shrugged their shoulders. The silence settled back over them once more.

* * *

Kingsley stood once more outside the door, still a bit shaken by what had happened during the last twenty minutes. It seemed as if much more time had passed then that in his mind though. He had watched Dumbledore and Moody vanish down the hall with hurried steps as they scurried down to the hospital two floors below. Frowning he wondered what would happen next. A moment later he shook his head to clear the endless confusion that seemed to flood him.

A slight sound echoed in the darkness around him and he stepped from the wall with his wand raised to investigate. Under the invisibility cloak once more he walked quietly down the hall and watched as a single student wandered down the hall that connected to the one in which he stood. Leaning against the wall Kingsley watched as the student opened each and every door he came too, taking a moment to peer inside before moving onto the next.

As Kingsley watched he felt the stirrings of familiarity as he continued to study the boy. Suddenly it occurred to him who it was moving down the corridor towards him. It was Zebulon Avery, the same boy who had attacked him when he had opened the downstairs closet to free him and two others; the same Zebulon Avery that Pettigrew had named an agent of Voldemort.

Smiling to himself in satisfaction, Kingsley kept his wand raised and ready while he waited for Avery to step closer. While he waited for Avery to close the distance he considered the best way to go about catching the elusive boy. It wasn't very likely that Avery would be working alone; he was too weak of a wizard to stand by himself. So why was he walking the school halls after curfew alone?

Kingsley frowned while he considered the possibilities. Realizing that it would be better to let Avery go for the moment until they could figure out what he was up to and who else was involved. Still, the boy could not be allowed to roam the fifth floor freely. With a quick whispered spell, Kingsley created an illusion of solid wall that started at the hallway where Kingsley himself stood. Keeping well back from the edge of the hallways entrance, Kingsley continued to watch as Avery made his way to a point several feet across from where Kingsley stood. Kingsley smiled to himself as Avery stopped at the fake wall as if he remembered something there, then turned around and went back the way he had come.

Kingsley frowned for only a moment before he sent a short memory spell after Avery to make certain he would remember nothing of seeing the wall. For the older students who knew the castle well enough, a new wall would be an open invitation to explore the castle anew; something they could not afford to happen because of recent events. Satisfied that Avery would not be back, Kingsley turned around and made his own way back to his post. Settling down on the floor beside the hidden doorway, he thought about how much easier his job would be once the rest of the students were shipped off to family for the holidays.

* * *

As Moody and Dumbledore hurried down the steps they met McGonagall on the way up there stairs. She was disheveled and appeared anxious as she pulled even with them. Without a word she joined them and headed back the way she came. Together the three of them went down the final set of stairs and stood before the Hospital Ward entrance.

Dumbledore hesitated for only a brief moment before he opened the doors and the three of them entered the ward. Immediately they noticed Madam Pomfrey standing rooted where Moody had left her. She seemed to be in complete shock over what had happened to Pettigrew. Dumbledore went to her and led her away from the boy's remains and set her down in a chair suggesting that she rest a moment; Madam Pomfrey only nodded and sat down as she was told.

Turning from the healer Dumbledore stepped back behind the screening and studied what he found there before him. The sheets still continued to smoke slightly and a wave of warmth could be felt emanating from them as well. Peter's body looked similar to that of a tree that has been caught in a forest fire, the outside black and charred while the tree itself retained its natural form; that was how it was with the boy. As the three adults stepped closer, they could make out individual features on his face and fingers on each of his hands. Yet there was no trace of the skin that had once covered his body.

Dumbledore reached out as if he would touch the body when he stopped and pulled his hand back. He could sense that though the body looked solid, a single touch would reduce the form lying on the bed to ash. Never in all his many years had Dumbledore ever seen anything that came close to this empty shell that lay before him.

McGonagall studied the boy's body as well; there was something about it that seemed familiar to her.

"I am willing to bet no student did this to him," McGonagall announced as she tried to remember where she had seen this type of spell work before.

"Red light poured from the ceiling above, he screamed like a bugger from the moment the first drop touched him. The heat was more intense then anything I had ever felt, yet there was no fire in the light. There was nothing I could have done to stop it either," Moody ground out in his gravely voice.

McGonagall frowned as she listened to the explanation of what Moody saw happening. There was something more to the whole matter and the answer hung just out of her reach. Turning once more to look upon the blackened form on the bed she raised her wand above her head and started twirling it slightly. If she had any hope of preserving the remains in front of her she must set her spell gently and precisely, otherwise the entire body would break apart into nothing but a scattering of ashes.

Dumbledore stepped back as he figured out what McGonagall was about to do, and watched silently as she prepared to cast the spell. Three times she twirled her wand around, flicking her wrist in a forward snap at the completion of each circle; on the third and final flick she swept her arm in a slow arch down towards where Peter's head once lay and then moved down the length of the boy's body in a gentle sweep. As the wand passed over the boy's feet she whispered three words so softly that neither of the two men standing next to her heard them.

A soft yellow light streaked with purple flashes hung gently in the air above the boy and drifted softly towards him as McGonagall lowered her arm in a slow steady movement. As the light touched the body of ash, it coated it in a thin layer and then sank inside. When McGonagall's arm rested at her side once more, Pettigrew's body was entirely coated in the strange light. Taking a deep breath McGonagall jabbed her wand out straight in front of her and hissed one sharp word and the light flared bright purple and died all together.

Pettigrew's body now had a slight purple-gray cast to it and seemed much more solid then it did before. Professor McGonagall sank slowly in a chair that stood behind her and closed her eyes tiredly. Dumbledore asked her softly if she was okay and when she nodded in reply Dumbledore turned back to study the now petrified remains of Peter Pettigrew.

* * *

Zebulon Avery complained eloquently under his breath as he searched the rooms and hallways about the fifth floor. This was his third night of searching and still he had found no trace of the missing students. He had started that first night on the seventh floor in the Room of Requirement, thinking that the Gryffindor students would return there once they had been healed. But from the moment he had stepped into the room, he knew that it was not so. Yet, he felt certain that the students had not left the castle as the staff and teachers had announced. Where would they go? Their parents were all dead and none of their homes were likely to be safe enough to keep the Dark Lord from them; so that left the school as the most likely place for them.

So, the first night had been spent checking every room on the seventh floor without success. The second night found him scouring the sixth floor in much the same way, without any luck. Tonight was turning out to be the same. There had been a brief moment just after midnight, when he thought he might have found something but it had turned out to be nothing. Turning back towards the stairs he had been about to head back to his Common Room, when the explosion had knocked him from his feet and there had been the sound of screams and running feet.

Avery had lain in the shadows until Dumbledore and Moody had passed him safely by and then pulled himself up from the floor and followed behind. When he heard footsteps heading back out from the hallways he had ducked into a nearby classroom and waited until they had passed by once more before he came out to search the halls from which they had come.

Feeling certain that he was getting close, Avery had checked each room until suddenly he had come up against a dead end. Frowning for a minute he had the distinct feeling he was being watched, then that too disappeared. Turning he had headed back to the stairs when his memory of the wall had been replaced by a sense of nothing. Certain that he had indeed found nothing he took the stairs two at a time as he hurried back to the Slytherin Common Room to report to Snape once more of his failure to find anything.

So here he was now, grumbling under his breath wandering through the dungeon hall ways until he stood before the entrance to the Slytherin tower. Shaking his head in frustration Avery supplied the password and stepped inside and made his way to the chairs where Snape sat waiting.

"Nothing," He ground out as he caught sight of the greasy haired boy sitting before the fire. Snape frowned up at Zebulon for a brief moment, before he turned back to face the fire once more.

"We are running out of time; the Dark Lord knows we are doing our best but he is not happy with our lack of success either," Snape replied softly. "He wants us to do nothing more until after the holidays. He will try another way once classes have resumed after the holidays."

Zebulon was surprised to hear this. He had been searching for two nights since the last time Snape had spoken to the Dark Lord, yet he was just know informing Avery of his useless searching? Zebulon felt his anger rise quickly and surely as he whipped his wand out to point it at Severus where he sat. Snape looked up calmly from where he sat and watched the anger twist Avery's face. Snape grinned in malice as he caught Zebulon' eyes and held them with his own.

"The Dark Lord summoned me to him tonight. He can do that using the Dark Mark, did you know that? All he has to do is touch the mark on one Death Eater and all the other Death Eaters will feel it flare white hot in pain calling them to him," Snape mused aloud as he watched Zebulon.

Zebulon returned Snape's gaze in anger for a minute longer before he turned and stormed off to his dorm. It grated on his nerves that Snape had more information and was closer to the Dark Lord then he himself was. Avery swore he would rise above the former loner one way or another before this business was over. But some small part of him was awed by Snape's effortless rise above him. Not even Zebulon himself had been able to face the Dark Lord as fearlessly as Snape had that first night.

As he climbed into bed, Zebulon shed his anger like a cloak and let his mind go blank in an effort to forget the wasted nights he had spent searching the castle. In no time at all he was sound asleep.

* * *

**AN:** _Blah… Blah… Blah… ~ Jenn_


	3. Discussions and Explanations

**Disclaimer: **_ALL HP characters are the property of JKR, the WB, and the respective publishing companies. I do own Jenn Parksen, Lori Wilson, and Monica Sinclair as well this twisted version of the plot. This is, of course, a simple Fan-Fiction that I have written in order to retain some semblance of sanity and dignity._

**AN:** _This story is self-beta'd; so there may be occasional grammatical or spelling errors that crop up every now and then and for those I apologize in advance._

* * *

**Chapter 3: Discussions and Explanations**

Finally Lily spoke up for the first time since she had passed out, "It was different this time; something else happened because James and I both held the book."

The others turned in her direction and waited to see if she would say anything further, when she didn't Jenn spoke up, "I think maybe we each saw something different this time." Her voice cracked a bit at the reference to sight but if the others noticed they said nothing.

"Not all of us," James countered. "I am sure Lily and I both saw and heard the same thing." He looked at Lily as he said this, and she nodded slightly for she was almost certain of that as well.

"Maybe we should discuss what each of us experienced," Lori added softly from where she sat at the edge of the group.

There were soft murmurs of agreement and Jenn listened to each of the voices and heard the uncertainty and fear in each of them that they tried to hide. She felt it in herself as well and shivered slightly as she recalled the images that had paraded before her blind eyes the moment that the red light had touched her with its warmth. Turning her attention back to the others she studied the slight sounds each of them made as they fidgeted in their seats and shuffled their feet on the floor. She could hear the soft sighs of frustration as well.

Lily was watching Jenn's face as her friend glanced to each of them in turn. Lily knew that Jenn could hear every little sound they made and it was a bit unnerving to know that nothing escaped her friend's attention. Yet, it might be an advantage as well. Jenn might now be able to get a clearer picture of what they faced then any of the others could ever hope to see with their eyes. Shifting she let her eyes search out James's for a moment before they turned to catch Lori's.

Lori met Lily's glance and the two of them shared a brief smile. While Lori knew she wasn't as close to Lily as Jenn was, she felt no jealousy over that friendship. Lily had more in common with Jenn but Lori was drawn into the friendship on personality alone. She got along with both Lily and Jenn better then any of the other girls in the school and cherished the times they had spent together.

James watched the two girls exchange a smile and smiled himself at how the smile lit up Lily's face even if only briefly; he always thought her most beautiful when she smiled and laughed. There had unfortunately been far too few smiles the last few weeks. While he was thinking about Lily, Remus cleared his throat and spoke.

"I think we should discuss what happened and I think we should write it down in case we forget. That way we will have a memory of the events that took place and we can use it if needs be," Remus spoke softly, but firmly and the others nodded in agreement.

Lily darted her eyes back to meet James and a shadow of fear flickered in their depths before she stood and offered to get parchments and quills from the study hall. While she disappeared into the other room to get the needed supplies, the others moved over to the table and sat down to wait for Lily's return. Sirius cast several glances filled with longing towards the empty plates on the buffet but made no comments regarding the hunger everyone was sure he felt. James squeezed his shoulder once in sympathy just as Lily stepped out of the study hall with an armload of quills, ink bottles, and rolls of parchment. Firmly she closed the door behind her and made her way to the table where she set the items down before seating herself next to James. Opening a single bottle of ink she dipped a goose feather quill into the ink and opened a single roll of parchment before she looked up and met James's glance. He smiled briefly in encouragement before he turned to face the others.

"I guess I will start this time," James announced as he glanced at each of the others. "Almost the moment Lily's hands touched the book, the wind rose from its pages the same as before. They surrounded us and cut off all sound of what was happening on the other side of the wind. A blue light blocked our view shortly after that and from the book waves of icy coldness gripped us firmly and held us to the book. I tried to let go but it was as if I was glued to its cover."

James took a deep breath while Lily scratched out something on the parchment and then looked up to meet his gaze once more. In her eyes he saw a reflection of everything he felt as he spoke of what they experienced. He closed his eyes for a moment and without opening them he continued. "I saw the red slight seep from the book; it split into four separate rivers that appeared like blood." Remus frowned and looked sharply over at James as he drew a quick breath. Jenn looked in his direction as she caught the sound but Remus never took his eyes from James. James continued talking, unaware of Remus's reaction to the mention of the light.

"The silence was then ripped apart first by the cry of a small child and then by Voldemort's cruel laugh. Next I remember hearing a woman's voice speaking but I don't recall what she said. It was crystal clear when I heard it but now it's dulled to a faint murmur in my mind. I know that what ever the words they filled me with pain, sorrow, and an ache that I can't explain. When the words ended the light ended and I saw Remus crumpled on the floor and then at a sob from Lily, I saw you others motionless on the floor, all spread out. I will never forget the rush of terror I felt in that moment." James shuddered as he fell silent, a haunted look upon his face. The others remained silent and only the scratching of the quill against the parchment could be heard for several minutes.

When Lily paused and looked up, Jenn began speaking next, her voice low and soft as it filled the room. "I remember hearing the wind drown out everything else. It was so loud in my ears that it hurt and then suddenly I felt the chair thrust over and over again; until it was slammed into the wall by the force of the rushing winds. I could hear nothing of what happened to everyone else over the roaring and rushing. I do remember feeling cold. So very cold, like ice and I feared I would never be warm again." Here Jenn stopped and took a moment to gather her thoughts before continuing. Sirius reached out and took hold of her hand as she began speaking once more.

"Just when I thought I was going to be frozen solid in the cold; a sudden rush of warmth flowed over and around me. The sound of the wind died and I could feel my body relaxing once more as the warmth cushioned me from the biting cold that I sensed lay just beyond the cocoon that surrounded me. What happened next… I can't really find the words to explain. There was a series of visions that flickered through my mind and a soft murmur of a woman's voice that rose and fell as the visions passed. That voice comforted me and at the same time explained to me the visions. Yet, like James, I can't begin to recall what was said." Jenn's voice trailed off once more and she looked vaguely unnerved by the memory of the visions and voice. When it was apparent that she had nothing further to add, Sirius began speaking.

"The wind was as terrible as Jenn said. Screeching and roaring all through the room. It had shoved my chair backwards several feet but didn't turn me over like it did Jenn's. I had watched that wind pick up her chair like it was a feather and throw it end over end until it crashed into the wall but couldn't move or do anything to stop it. By that time you two had both been engulfed by the blue light but I didn't see it happen. I was worried that Jenn had been hurt; somehow I manage to push myself out of the chair and the next thing I knew I had been slammed into the wall on the other side of the room, opposite of Jenn. I couldn't move at first, my whole body felt like it had been hit by the Hogwarts Express and left for crow food."

Here Sirius paused to take a long slow breath before he continued, "I am not certain what happened next, I couldn't see Remus or Lori and had no idea what had happened to them. But I saw the red light. I saw it first as it reached towards Jenn, an oozing sucking relentless mass of _something._ I cried out to her, but I don't think she could hear me over the roaring of the wind. I was watching her so intently that I didn't see the bit of red that was coming towards me until the last minute. And even then, I heard it first. Hissing and spitting like a cat as it crept closer. I turned to look and as soon as I did, it poured over me. Everything went black, and I could feel the heat of the light touching me. After that I began to see a beam of green light from within the blackness. I could hear Voldemort laughing and I heard screaming." Sirius looked up and faced James after he said this, his eyes misting with tears. "I heard you screaming James."

Lily let the quill fall from her motionless hand and James met Sirius's eyes with a troubled look of his own. Everyone was more than a little unnerved at the visions and voices that haunted each version of the events. Lily started shaking, but instead of crumbling into a mess of sobs, like she had done many times before, she forced herself to pick up the quill from where it had fallen and finish writing. Jenn reached out and brushed her fingers across Sirius's shoulder for comfort before sitting back into her chair and listening to the ragged breaths of those around her. After two long minutes of silence, Sirius spoke once more.

"After that scream, I heard a baby cry and Lily screaming something I couldn't understand. The next minute everything went black once more. The next thing I remember Moody was helping me up from the floor."

"I too heard Lily and James scream," Lori said into the silence that had resettled after Sirius was done speaking. "The wind had forced my chair back and I landed on the floor near to Jenn. I watched the red light move towards us both, though I couldn't see Sirius, I did see a third light heading towards where I'd last seen him. Remus was still standing where he had been when you two both had a hold of the book. I remember seeing him struggling against an invisible wall as the light moved closer to us. I don't know what happened then. Everything went red, then gray and finally black. The wind rose to an angry thundering before it suddenly stopped altogether. There was no laughter in the silence but James voice pierced it in a sudden burst of sound, joined soon after by Lily's scream. Those were the only sounds I heard; the two of you screaming. Before those began to fade the blackness around me flashed green and went dark. There was nothing else until Moody woke me up."

Lily reached out and pulled Lori into a hug as they sat side by side at the table. Lily glanced over top of Lori's bent head to look fearfully into James's eyes. Lily saw her own fears mirrored in his eyes. She was about to speak when there was a knock at the door. Everyone but Jenn turned to watch as the door opened and Professor McGonagall stepped inside.

"I came to see if you were all alright," She announced in a voice much softer than usual. She reached behind her and closed the door with a soft click as she moved further into the room. Stopping while she was still several feet from the door she studied those faces that were turned towards her and frowned at the emotions she saw reflected in their eyes.

Softening as she thought that their feelings were the result of Peter's treachery, she bustled forward and conjured up another chair so that she could join them at the table. Lily rolled up the parchment she had been writing on and helped Lori to sit up on her own. Sirius was watching silently when his stomach rumbled loudly.

A ghost of a smile flittered across Professor McGonagall's face when she heard it. Silently she stood up and crossed to the fireplace. Taking a dash of Floo powder she tossed it into the fire and leaned her face down into the flames to speak with someone on the other end. When she finished she pulled herself out of the flames and dusted off the ash that clung to her hair and the top of her cloak before seating herself once more at the table with the students.

"Dumbledore informed me that you are aware of the part Pettigrew played in the recent events," She started. "I am also aware that Moody spoke of his death before they left as well." She waited for confirmation before continuing. "We don't yet know what killed him but we are trying to discover that as well. The rest of the students are being sent home a day early because of what happened to Mr. Pettigrew. Until we have figured out the cause of his death, the six of you are not to venture out of this room without an escort. There will of course be at least one scheduled outing a day once the other students are gone; as I know that you all dislike having to hide in here. Unfortunately due to the recent events we can not continue to let you all wander aimlessly about the castle. I hope you understand."

There were several vague murmurs of understanding as well as a few grumbles of complaint as McGonagall stood up and vanished her chair with the wave of a wand. She turned and walked back to the door but paused before opening it. "I am sure that you are all famished, you did miss supper after all, and I ordered a small meal for you all. Please, eat and then get some rest. I will be back in the morning with Alastor Moody to inspect the defenses that were placed upon this room to protect you in the event that something is causing them to slowly degrade in light of the attack that took place here and in the infirmary. Good night." And with that, she slipped out the door and closed it firmly behind her.

* * *

**AN:** _That's chapter three... next chapter will be up in a few days. ~ Jenn_


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